The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Monday met with local market queens to strategize on how to weave social distancing and other controls into the activities of the markets in the long term.

To ensure social distance at the various markets and curb the spread of the COVID-19 in the metropolis when the lockdown directive was given, the Assembly met with the market queens and agreed to relocate the various markets to parks.

In that light, the main Community One market was relocated to the Twedaase and Oninku schools parks while Communities four, seven, eight and nine markets ended up at the Chemu park, a temporary market was also created at Kplejootsoshishi in Tema Manhean.

Mr Frank Asante, TMA Public Relations Officer, speaking to the Ghana News Agency, said the temporal markets were still in place as they were meeting with the queen mothers to brainstorm on the best way forward.

Mr Asante added that looking at the layout of the markets there was the need to put in proper measures before considering reopening them for trading as the COVID-19 disease was still in the country.

He added that a similar meeting would be held with leadership of the various transport unions in Metropolis to ensure that they encouraged their members to still practice social distancing by reducing the number of passengers they carried.

He further noted that the Metropolitan Security Council (MESEC) would also meet to strategize towards the strict implementation on the restrictions on mass gathering such as funerals, religious gatherings, weddings, parties, beach activities, among others.

According to him, with the euphoria surrounding the lifting of the lockdown, some residents may think that they could organize such events therefore the need to make the presence of the security felt in the communities to avoid such happenings.

He urged residents, corporate institutions, banks and the public to continue to strictly observe the acceptable protocols of handwashing, use of sanitizers, wearing of nose masks and most importantly social distancing.